VACCINATIONS: Although the WHO mentions the lack of data on the safety of mRNA vaccines administered to pregnant women, Olivier Véran excludes pregnancy, even in the first trimester, from the list of contraindications to vaccination against Covid-19
Although the WHO mentions the lack of data on the safety of mRNA vaccines administered to pregnant women, Olivier Véran excludes pregnancy, even in the first trimester, from the list of contraindications to vaccination against Covid-19, which “Will act as law”.
Except for medical contraindications which would affect a few hundred French people, there is no obstacle to messenger RNA vaccines including pregnancy in the first trimester, Olivier Véran told the National Assembly on July 20. This while the WHO and several other institutions recommend it to pregnant women only with certain reservations.
“There are currently no data from clinical trials on the safety and immunogenicity of the vaccine during pregnancy,” says the WHO in its provisional recommendations on the use of the two mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna), updated June 15, 2021.
Due to insufficient data from clinical trials on the impact of these drugs on pregnancy, vaccination is possible if the benefits outweigh the potential risks.
The institution also prescribes that pregnant women be informed about the risks of Covid-19 during pregnancy, as well as the lack of safety data on vaccines and their likely benefits.
The Haute Autorité de santé shares the opinion of the WHO regarding the benefits outweighing the risks. This concerns “pregnant women over 35 or those with other comorbidities such as obesity, diabetes or cardiovascular diseases, or pregnant women likely to be in contact with infected people due to their professional activity. “.
In addition, the start of vaccination is desirable from the 10th to the 20th week of amenorrhea (absence of periods), “that is to say after the end of organogenesis and sufficiently early for the pregnant woman to be. protected in the third quarter ”, indicates the CRAT (Reference Center on Teratogenic Agents), a public structure funded by the AP-HP and ANSM.
Some doctors still take precautions. Although Professor Alain Fischer denies the risk of being vaccinated from the start of pregnancy, the Saint-Cloud hospital (Hauts-de-Seine) recommends this measure from the fourth month, in accordance with the prescriptions of the General Directorate of Health (DGS) told 20 Minutes Joëlle Belaish Allart, head of the gyneco-obstetrics service.
The contraindications cited by Véran
Referring to the National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM), the Vaccine Strategy Orientation Council and the Scientific Council, the Minister of Health announced that contraindications to mRNA vaccines include PIMS syndrome, or pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome, an “extremely rare” complication that can affect some children and adolescents after Covid-19.
“Ni la grossesse premier semestre, ni la grossesse dernier trimestre, ni des antécédents d’allergie à un antibiotique”, ne représentent des situations de contre-indication au vaccin à ARNm selon @olivierveran, qui a saisi l’Agence nationale de sécurité du médicament. #DirectAN pic.twitter.com/QDeg9yXTLO
— LCP (@LCP) July 20, 2021
Then, they are “reactions type myocarditis, pericarditis and severe hepatitis requiring hospitalization and following a first injection of mRNA vaccine” and allergies to one of the components of the vaccine, PEG2000, or polyethylene glycol. According to the Minister of Health, these only concern about ten people in France.
Finally, neither pregnancy, “nor a history of allergy to an antibiotic or a bee sting” can stand in the way, concludes the minister.
This list of contraindications will act as law, he thundered.
